Collapsible crate.



No 698,435. Patented Apr. 29, I902.

H. D. BDKUP.

CULLAPSIBLE CRATE. (Application filed Aug. 22 1901.\

(No Model.)

TME wonms PETERS co. worn-mine" wxsums'mu, o. c.

UNITED STATES HENRY D. .BOKOP, OF

PATENT "WOFFIGE.

DEFIANCE, OI-I IO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO AUGUST F. MILLER, OF DEFIANCE, OHIO.'

COLLAPS IBLE CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 698,435, dated April 29, 1 902. Application filed August 22, 1901- Serial No. 72,901. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known thatl, HENRY D. BoKoP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Defiance, in the county of Defiance and State of 5 Ohio, have invented a new and useful Collapsible Crate, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in collapsible crates, and. has for its principal object to provide an improved arti cle of this character which may be made at small cost and readily assembled or disassembled without the use of tools.

A further object of the invention is to prot 5 vide, in construction of the device when used as a packing-box, for the formation of closelyfitting joints.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a collapsible crate constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of the same. Fig. 3is a detail perspective View illustrating the manner of connecting the various sections of which the crate or box is composed. Fig. 4. is a plan view of a portion of the topof the crate, illustrating the construction of trap or lid which I employ to gain access to the interior of the crate.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the various figures of the drawings The crate is composed of six members or sections, which may be for purposes of con- 0 venience separated into three pairs of sections, those of each pair being of corresponding s'hapeor size and arranged to form the ends, the opposite sides, and the top and bottom of the crate or box.

The end sections 1 have each a frame composed of marginal strips or bars 2 2 and 3 3, the meeting ends of the respective strips overlapping at the corners and being secured together to form a rigid frame. The horiz ontal strips 2 are on the outer side of the end sections, and the space formed or inclosedby the four strips is partially closed by spaced bars 4. in the devices made up in the form of a crate or chicken-coop or is entirely closed to form a solid side when the device is to be 5 5 used as a packing-box. In each of the vertical bars 3 are formed openings 5, and extending through both the vertical and the horizontal b'ars, where they overlap each other, are openings 6, one of which is formed at or near the corner of each of the end frames.

The side sections 7 comprise upper and lower bars 8, extending lengthwise of said sectionand parallel with each other. At the end of said bars are formed tenons 9 of a comparatively short length and adapted to enter the openings 5. The bars are united by vertical strips 10, spaced as shown when a crate or chicken-coop is to be formed, or the bars are united by a solid board when the device is constructed in the form of a box. 1 The top'section 11 and the bottom section 12 are similar in size, and the longitudinal side of each is formed by the bars 13, from the ends of which extend elongated tenons 14, adapted to the openings in the end sections.

The main body of the bottom of the box will in most cases be formed of i one or more boards secured to the longitudinal bars 13, or the transversely arranged spaced strips 15 may be employed to form both top and hottonl, in accordance with the use to which the device is to be put.

lnassembling the various parts to form a structure of the desired character the longer tenons 14 of the top and bottom sections are first entered in the openings 6 and form guides for the insertion of the smaller tenons 9 of the side sections. This arrangement of the tenons permits of themore ready assem- 9o blement of the various sections, all of the tenons being partly entered within their respective receiving-openings, after which the end sections are forced tightly againstjjthe. remaining sections, and the whole structure is firmly locked together by the insertion "of keys 16 through suitable openings formed in the projecting ends of the tenons 14:.

The device may be made very cheaply and can be readily assembled or disassembled loo without the use of any tools, and when in knockdown position the various sections may be packed together in very small compass.

The structure may be modified by the employment of the end sections as side or top and bottom sections, the openings being formed in any one pair of sections and the various tenons being arranged on the remaining sections.

In the top of the crate is formed an opening through which access may be had to the interior of the crate, and this opening is closed by a trap or lid formed of two spaced bars 18, united by cross-bars 19 and forming a rectangular structure which is pivoted by a staple 20, passing around a spring-wire 21, having its opposite ends adapted to guides 22, carried by the spaced bars of the top section. Any excessive downward movement of the front end of the trap or lid is prevented partly by the spring-wire 21 and partly by a cross-bar 24, secured to the top section and' passing under the trap or lid near the pivotpoint of the latter. The forward ends of the members 18 are adapted to openings formed between the various bars of the top section and a top locking-plate 26, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. When the trap or lid is to be opened, it is pushed to the rear until-its forward end clears the locking plate 26, the spring 21 yielding to an extent sufficient to permit this movement. The trap may then be thrown back with the spring as a fulcrum, as shown by dotted'lines in Fig. 2,

Various modifications may be made in the structure herein described within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is'- 1. In a device of the class specified, the conibination of the top, bottom, side and end portions each formed of a separate section, and arranged in pairs, one pair of sections being provided with a plurality of openings, and the remaining sections having tenons adapted to said openings, the tenons of one pair being longer than those of the opposite pair of sections, the longer tenons being adapted to be entered in their receiving-openings in advance of the shorter tenons.

2. In a device of the class specified, the combination of the end sections having vertical and longitudinal edge bars or strips, there being one set of openings in the vertical bars, and a second set of, openings extending through both the vertical and horizontal bars, side sections having at their ends short tenons adapted to the first set of openings, and top and bottom sections having longitudinal bars or strips provided at their opposite ends with elongated tenons adapted to the second set of openings.

3. In a device of the class specified, a trap or lid adapted to cover an opening in the top of the crate, said trap or lid having an endwise movement to effect its engagement with or disengagement from a slot or keeper in the crate, a spring connected centrally to said trap or lid, the opposite ends of said spring being adapted to guides carried by the crate, said spring acting as a fulcrum for the lid and also tending to retain the same in locked position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

- HENRY D. BOKOP.

WVitnesses:

TELLIS T. SHAW, .TNo. P. CAMERON. 

